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Top 20 Selling Herbals for 2008- Mass Market
HerbalGram 2009;82:58-61
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Product
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1. cranberry
2. soy
3. garlic
4. saw palmetto
5. ginkgo
6. echinacea
7. milk thistle
8. St. John’s Wort
9. ginseng
10. black cohosh
11. green tea
12. evening primrose oil
13. valerian
14. horny goat weed
M $ % change rank in 2007
08
25
22
19
18
15
15
09
+1.5
08
08
06
04
03
02
+5.2
-13
-5.7
+3.2
-2.6
+4.5
+7.9
2
1
3
5
4
6
8
10
-3.7
- 7.1
+5.3
- 7.1
+11
+8.7
9
7
11
12
13
14
Top 20 Selling Herbals for 2008- Mass Market
HerbalGram 2009;82:58-61
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Product
02
02
02
+42
0.8
0.7
+7
+124
+1.9
Total Mass Market sales (all herbs)
289
Total all channels sales (estimated) 4,800
+7.2
+0.9
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15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
grape seed
elderberry
bilberry
ginger
horse chestnut seed
yohimbe
M $ % change rank in 2007
01
16
none
15
20
-19
-43
19
17
The above figures include only sales from food stores, drug stores, and mass
market retailers but with Wal-Mart figures not included. It does not include
warehouse buying clubs (Costco), convenience stores, natural foods stores,
multilevel marketers, health professional sales, mail order or internet sales.
Grape Seed Extract
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Botany
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History
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Seeds from Vitis vinifera
Relatively recent use as an antioxidant
Chemistry
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seeds contain olygemeric proanthocyanidins
(OPC)
OPC s are oligomeric or polymeric flavonoid like
polyphenolic compounds
OPC s have strong antioxidant and free radical
scavanging activities
OPC s are also high in marine pine bark
(pycnogenol) and green tea
Pharmacology
•In vitro will prevent destruction of elastin, collagen
and hyaluronic acid
•In animal models will reduce capillary
permeability and decrease swelling and
inflammation
•Action due to the ability of OPC s to block free
radical damage and otherwise protect against
oxidative damage
Uses
•Treatment of varicose veins and chronic venous
insufficiency
•Reduce swelling due to surgery or injury
•Treat and prevent macular degeneration
•To reduce the risk for cancer and heart disease
•Treat diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy
•other
Evidence
•Varicose veins
•Reasonable evidence based on placebo controlled
trials. Trials published in French and Italian thus not
readily evaluated by all
•Reduce pain and swelling due to injury/surgery
•Three controlled studies (in French)
•Vision - one study
•Heart Disease – some evidence for potential
Other – limited evidence from animal or in vitro studies;
may lower cholesterol in combination with chromium
LDL oxidation; N=15 with CAD; grape juice x14d; Stein et al.
Circulation 1999;100:1050-1055.
Flow mediated vasodilation; N=15 with CAD; grape juice
x14d; Stein et al. Circulation 1999;100:1050-1055.
Safety
Considered nontoxic
Interactions
OPCs have antiplatelet adhesion properties so that
an anticoagulant effect could be noted at higher
doses; avoid concurrent use with warfarin and other
anticoagulants
Products
Grape seed extract products contain 100mg of
extract per capsule. Dose: 100mg TID
Grape Seed Extract
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Summary
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Efficacy: probably effective for varicose
veins and venous insufficiency. May help
vision and macular degeneration. Other
uses need more work.
Safety: good
Drug interactions: careful with
anticoagulants
Product selection: ? Most are not
standardized to OPCs
Dose: 100mg TID
Questions remaining include
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Will grape seed extract help in vascular diseases
other than varicose veins? What about coronary
disease?
Elderberry
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Botany: Sambucus sp. , usually S. niger
Chemistry: anthocyanadin glycosides, e.g.
cyanidin-3-glucoside
Pharmacology: elderberry anthocyanidins
inhibit influenza viruses in vitro (also
H1N1) and have immune stimulation and
antiinflammatory properties
Elderberry
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Uses: influenza, sciatica, immune
stimulant, asthma and other uses
Efficacy: shown to have some activity in
relieving symptoms of influenza
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Zakay-Rones et al. J Altern Complement Med
1995;1:361-9. (Israel study against influenza
B). 2-3d vs 6d end of symptoms, n=27)
•Zakay-Rones et al. J Int Med Res 2004;32:132-40.
(Influenza A and B)
N=60, 15ml of syrup QID x 5d starting within 48h of onset.
Study done in Oslo Norway. Difference in time to end of
symptoms was 4d shorter in elderberry vs placebo
(p<0.001). Reduced use of pain and other cold meds in
elderberry group.
•Kong F. Online Journal of Pharmacology and
Pharmacokinetics 2009;5:32-43. (lozenge) n=64 relief of
symptoms faster compared to placebo
Elderberry
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Safety: seems OK but leaves and unripe
berries contain cyanogenic glycosides that
can release HCN
Summary
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Evidence:
A few human studies support
use to decrease influenza symptoms
Safety: a quality product is recommended
due to risk of cyanide poisoning if
contaminated with leaves or unripe fruit.
Drug Interactions: possibly not with
immunosuppressants
Products: syrup
GWE:.worth a try to relieve flu symptoms.
Start ASAP and take for 5d. Nature’s Way
Sambucus product is suggested
Bilberry
•Botany- extract of the fruit of the “European Blueberry” which has a
white inside. Vaccinium myrtillus. Common blueberries are other
Vaccinium sp.
•History-used by English pilots in WWII to improve night vision
•Chemistry-contains anthocyanosides (glycosides of anthocyanidins);
these like OPCs (see grape seed extract) are powerful antioxidants
•Pharmacology- antioxidant and free radical scavanging activities with
maybe special action in the eye
•Use-poor night vision, cataracts,macular degeneration,diabetic
retinopathy
•Evidence•conflicting small studies. More work needs to be done; study
by the US Navy showed no benefit in night vision (Muth et
al. Alter Med Rev 2000;5:164-173) in a small placebo
controlled study (n=13) in men with normal vision
•Retinopathy. Diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy
improvement in 2 small studies.
•Safety-OK Interactions-none
•Products-look for extracts standardized to 25% anthocyanosides;
100mg qd or BID
•Summary-safe but unproven product for vision problems
Yohimbe
•Botany:
•W. African tree (Pausinystalia yohimbe)
•bark used
•Chemistry:
•about 6% alkaloids
•2-4% yohimbine (Rx only, 5.4mg TID)
•Pharmacology:
•alpha adrenergic receptor blocker
•increase excitability in sacral region of spinal cord
•MAOI
vasodilation
Yohimbe
•Adverse
•CNS stimulation (lower doses)
•hypertension (lower doses), insomnia
•activation of psychoses
•Hypotension (higher doses)
•Cardiac depression (higher doses)
•Herbal/Drug interactions
•MAOI
•additive problems with adrenergic and other MAOI
Ernst and Pittler, J. Urology 159:433-436,1998
Yohimbine-Bottom line
•Adverse effects could be significant but warnings in the literature may
be exaggerated
•Reasonable evidence for some improvement in ED and sexual
dysfunction associated with SSRI therapy
•Studies needed to compare with Viagra etc
•Rx drug, usually 15-30mg/d used; avoid >30mg/d
Yohimbe-Bottom line
•May work but adverse effects exist and other drugs are probably better
•Quality control problems
•Most dietary supplement products have subtherapeutic amounts of
yohimbine
•If 6% yohimbine, then 250-500mg/d would be the dose
Yohimbine: an alkyloid
Horse Chestnut
•Botany
Aesculus hippocastanum
•History
Long used but in recent years seed extract has
been tested in human studies
•Chemistry
the active
the triterpine glycoside escin is thought to be
•Pharmacology Escin inhibits hyaluronidase and elastase
which are involved in increased capillary permeability.
•Use horse chestnut seed and leaf are used for the treatment
of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and phlebitis. Horse chestnut
seed is used for diarrhea, fever, and enlarged prostate.
Seed extract used for venous insufficiency and varicose veins
Diehm et al. Lancet 1996;347:292-294; n=240; extract
containing 50mg escin BID
Horse Chestnut
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Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous
insufficiency.
Pittler MH, Ernst E Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006
Jan 25;(1):CD003230.
Authors' conclusions
“The evidence presented implies that HCSE is an
efficacious and safe short-term treatment for CVI.
However, several caveats exist and more rigorous RCTs
are required to confirm the efficacy of this treatment
option.”
Horse Chestnut
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Evidence:
human studies support use of
the seed extract in varicose veins
Safety:the raw seed contains the toxic esculin
which can cause bleeding and other adverse
events. The extract does not and is safe.
Drug Interactions: anticoagulants
Products:seed extract only
Summary:reasonable evidence for varicose
veins and is recommended. Use seed extract
standardized to 16-24% escin (aescin).
Ginger
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Zingiber officinale
History-long used for food and medicine
Pharmacology
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digestive aid
flavor
nausea and vomiting treatment-effect is on the
stomach and less on the CNS
For pain
Chemistry
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volatile compounds
non volatile compounds
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gingerol
shogaol
Ginger
Efficacy
Studies
motion
sickness
most studies “in the field” show
some benefit but those in a spinning
chair are equivocal
Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy
Seems
post
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helpful with little risk
operative nausea and vomiting
most studies, but not, all support benefit
Grontved A, Brask T, Kambskard J, Hentzer E. Ginger root against seasickness: a
controlled trial on the open sea. Acta Otolaryngol 1998;105:45-9. n=80
Pregnancy nausea scores (difference from baseline at day 4); 1g ginger/d; n=67; p=.005
From Vutyavanich et al. Obstet Gynecol 2001;97:577-582.
Ginger for Nausea of Pregnancy
3.5
3
Difference from Baseline
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
placebo,n=35
ginger,n=32
N=291 <16 weeks pregnant; assessed at 7, 14, 21d
Smith et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2004 Apr;103(4):639-45
Chaiyakunapruk et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006;194:95-9
Postoperative nausea and vomiting
Other uses:
•Pain/osteoarthritis – possible mild effects based on
a few studies but ginger takes weeks to see benefit
•Nausea asociated with cancer chemotherapystudies are not in agreement
Summary for Ginger
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Efficacy: possibly worthwhile in preventing
motion sickness; worthwhile in treating and
preventing nausea of pregnancy; possibly
worthwhile in treating postop nausea
Safety: good; abdominal discomfort for some
Drug interactions: caution with warfarin
Product selection: ?
Dose: for pregnancy, use 250mg QID (or
more); to prevent motion sickness use 1g 1-4h
before travel and 250mg QID during; to
prevent postop nausea use 1g 1h prior to
anesthesia
Questions remaining:
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How much benefit and how best used